Canon EOS 6D review : high ISO image quality

Latest camera in Canon’s range of DSLR with a full frame sensor, the EOS 6D arrived here at the studio two weeks ago for its comprehensive review. I took it to Barcelona and ahead of the full Canon EOS 6D review, I propose you a “mise en bouche” with a compilation of JPG images taken straight from the camera (JPG) croped at 1:1 in order to make your opinion on the camera’s high ISO image quality.

Canon EOS 6D review : ISO 1,600-25,600 image quality

The Canon EOS 6D is a Full Frame DSLR with a 20 megapixel definition. The choice operated by Canon is quite sensible because it allows both to spare rendering of fine details with an important definition, 20 megapixels, but also to maintain a photodiode size large enough to collect a big amount of light and give theoretically satisfactory results at high sensitibities. Quite often, if you buy a Full Frame DSLR, it is also for its behavior at high ISO values. The Canon EOS 6D gets it pretty right as you can see on below ISO 1,600-25,600 crops. At ISO 1,600, it is strictly impossible to detect both the grain of the noise, nor a possible smoothing operated by the firmware of the EOS 6D to reduce the effects of noise with the unavoidable degradation of the signal/noise ratio. At ISO 3,200, if we the effects of noise can not be noted, however, an emerging smoothing shows and slightly degrades the sharpness. But I have to warn you that the effect is very subtle and while it can be seen here on a computer screen at 1:1 scale, this noice reduction smoothing will strictly be invisible on a printed photograph. We can therefore use the Canon EOS 6D without any fear at all frim ISO100 to ISO 3,200. At ISO 6,400 a quality loss threshold is passed through with a more pronounced smoothen image and detail loss which increases steadily at 12,800 and then ISO 25,600 wich is obviously a sensibility for “rescue”.

Ahead of the full Canon EOS 6D review, here is an image montage of JPG photos straight from the camera, here displayed at 1:1 scale, from ISO 1,600-25,600.

The Canon EOS 6D summed up

The Canon EOS 6D is the latest Full Frame DSLR in Canon’s range. It is equipped with a 20-megapixel CMOS sensor and merges the segment of pro with amateur digital SLR since its camera body is more or less the volume of the EOS 60D, a camera with a sensor size APS-C only. The EOS 6D complements the 5D Mark III in Canon’s range while being aimed toards amateur photographers when the EOS 5D Mark III targets more professional photographers. This is reflected also on the user interface of the camera that is radically different from the 5D Mark III ergonomics and reminds me a lot of the EOS 60D I reviewed last year in Guadeloupe, FWI. Frontally opposed to the Nikon D600, the Canon EOS 6D differs from its competitor by the integrating of a GPS sensor and the presence of Wi-Fi. I tested the EOS 6D with the new Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L USM professional lens.